Ablakwa’s resignation was not because of Ofori-Atta’s approval – Afenyo-Markin

Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Majority Leader, has claimed that Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s resignation is not because of the approval of Ken Ofori-Atta as the finance minister-designate.

According to him, the North Tongu MP was at the meeting that decided to pass the Finance Minister by consensus.

“Okudzeto Ablakwa was in the meeting where we all agreed that Mr Ofori-Atta should be passed by consensus; we were all there. It was after the vetting. We sat together; he was there and had the opportunity to ask his questions. He didn’t oppose, so I don’t think that Mr Ablakwa is resigning because of Mr Ken Ofori-Atta.

“He was part of it. I was there at the meeting; I don’t want to attribute it…” Afenyo-Markin told Joy FM on Wednesday evening in a report monitored by GhanaWeb.

Afenyo-Markin however, said: “I’m surprised at the resignation. I thought Sammy is well experienced enough in this game of politics to know that we act as a collective. I see Sammy as having a future in his own party, perhaps he may think that he is doing what is right but I can foresee that he is creating a whole mountain of mistrust for his future politics in his party. Maybe he didn’t calculate well.”

He continued: “Parliament works as a team, we work in Caucuses so if your Caucus is there, you don’t write a letter to [the] Speaker. Per the [.....] Standing Orders, you don’t write to [the] Speaker and the letter finds its way in the media. I can’t say he did it, but you ensure the sanctity of relationship with your team, your colleagues; it’s not an individualistic affair, you are not there as an individual.”

He continued: “I have read the letter, and if what is leaked is really what is written, I’ll find it most unfortunate and well it is his own future… but I think it was in [...] bad taste…for you to write as though the Speaker’s office is an extension of [the] party’s machinery. If you look at the tone of the letter, the salutation to [the] Speaker, etcetera, [the] Speaker has no role to play in that so, it’s unfortunate, anyway.”

Alexander Afenyo-Markin also opined that the attitude of Isaac Adongo in boycotting the approval of Ken Ofori-Atta is a misunderstanding of how the Parliamentary system works.

He said: “You don’t do that. It’s a Caucus matter so if you want to do that to force a leadership change at your side, well, it’s a matter of ambition…., yes, but if you want to say you’ve gone to a committee, practice a convention…the plenary generally carry the recommendation of the committee. For Adongo who is a member of the Finance Committee, a Deputy Ranking, I think all of us must be properly schooled on how Parliament works, and we should appreciate how we conduct ourselves. It’s unfortunate he also did that, anyway.”